Stimulus Waste

A couple of weeks ago, actually February 12, I watched President Obama and Vice President Biden speak at a ceremony celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the stimulus plan. According to www.recover.gov , the stimulus plan, also known as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was created with the following goals in mind…

1)Create new jobs and save existing jobs
2)Create economic growth and invest in long term growth
3)Foster unprecedented levels of accountability and transparency in Government spending

In Obama’s speech he said, “I’m grateful that Congress agreed to my request that the bill include no earmarks; that all projects received funding based on their merits.” After hearing this I could not resist looking into this a bit more and obviously he didn’t read the bill that he signed his name to.

So I will list some of the pork that was pushed across the table…you decide if you think these things meet the above mentioned criteria from the governments website.

$219,000 was granted to study the sex lives of female college freshmen

$390,000 was granted to study malt liquor and weed

$221,355 to study why young men don’t like condoms

$787,250 was granted to a program to control home appliances from remote areas…this is a little creepy. Does this mean if I forget to turn my iron off that they may have the capability of doing so from a remote area. Will the possibility of this program allow someone from a remote area to decide if my house is too warm or cool and control my thermostat?

$21,116 for costumes for Bobber the Water Safety Dog

$943,190 terrorism prevention for a DINNER CRUISE COMPANY…uhhh what about the borders?

$1.57 million to search for fossils IN ARGENTINA

$88,000 for a Georgia road to be REPAVED…it was just paved 2 years ago…..the people studying the malt liquor and weed must have come up with this one.

$233,825 is going to study exit polling in Africa

$122,000 to provide fish art for a highway

$2 million was granted for a bike trail to be built when the adjoining road needs work.

$30,000 was granted to study meth and the female rat sex drive and they gave $8408 to study the effects of alcohol on mice

$100,000 was provided to conduct Anti-Capitalist, socially-conscious puppet show….this really burns me up.

$210,000 was needed to help study learning patterns of honey bees, while $90,000 was given to help “learning to cooperate” while observing birds

$2 million was given to a fire station that can’t afford to employ any firemen.

$1.5 million will be or was used to restore a lighthouse living quarters and oil shed on an uninhabited island.

$8 million is used for a Wastewater Treatment Center with a “Talking Water Garden”. Because of this new elaborate treatment center local residents will be facing an increase in sewer rates to pay for the new system.


UNBELIEVABLE...

Ramming Healthcare

Today I write with a heavy heart and lots of concern for the direction of our country. Since Obama took office it seems that our whole country has started turning inside out and it is beginning to become very frightening.

Healthcare Reform….has been the main focus for the past year and looks as if it will be passed regardless of the people’s voice. This is a bill that Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, said that we needed to pass so we could find out what was in it. Just last night the President admitted that he did not really know what was in it. So my question is if THEY don’t know what is in it. then how do they know it’s the right thing to do for the country? We could have God knows what strapped to our backs and the backs of our children and grandchildren for years to come because this President was determined to pass Healthcare Reform now. In saying that, I’m not saying it’s not an honorable goal. I believe there are many things that need to be reformed and fixed, but why shove something through just to say it was done “on my watch” when it may not be the best thing for the people of this country?

I am a citizen that has to be worried about healthcare. As of today I am wrestling with the decision to cancel my coverage because after it is deducted from my check I may not be able to pay my utilities or keep my house running. If you knew my family you would understand WHY this is a difficult decision to make. My daughter has childhood epilepsy, I have fibromyalgia….and sometimes I think everyone else in my family needs to wrapped in bubble wrap before getting out of the bed. So I’m not one who has financial security or even has a little left over each paycheck. We have taken some hard hits this past year and finances are tight, but I still think it is wrong to strap my healthcare issues to the backs of my neighbors.

Other than being concerned about what exactly is IN the bill, I’m extremely concerned about this “slaughter” method that they plan to use and push it through in the event they do not have enough votes. Article 1 Section 7 of the United States Constitution says:

Clause 1: All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Clause 2: Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approves he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sunday excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a Law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournement prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

Clause 3: Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

After reading the Constitution it seems pretty clear to me that this Bill is supposed to pass the House first then be sent to the Senate. From what I understand, and I could be wrong, they intend to only pass the Bill through the Senate because they may not have enough votes in the House. I have heard that Republicans and Democrats say that there is a provision of some sort or a loophole in which they can do this, but with something as important and huge as this you would think they would want to do it on the “up and up”. This just doesn’t seem to be on the “up and up”. This method does not resonate the American ideals….or maybe it’s just my old American ideals.

The Constitution does not guarantee healthcare coverage, jobs or wealth. It does, however, guarantee to support the rights given to us by GOD for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We must make an effort to pursue what we need and stop waiting on someone to bail us out. Look for a hand up and not a hand out. I wish with every fiber of my being that our Representatives, who we elected to represent us, will start speaking out for us and the good of our country. Let’s slow down and do this right even if it means we have to fix things in stages and by category. Let's actually read the bill this time so there are no suprises and no suprise add ons for pet projects. Lets stop being Republicans and Democrats with personal agendas and be Americans.